4 | National News Spotlight on ODM top organ as Raila downplays upheaval National Governing Council expected to fill current vacuum with interim officials in tomorrow’s meeting BY ISAAC ONGIRI @ongiri2 iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com Council (NGC) meeting as the party grapples with an uncertain future following the disruption of the much-awaited National Delegates Convention on Friday. Bare-knuckle infighting and T sibling rivalry openly played out at the party NDC in the full glare of Orange friends and international diplomats, projecting an image of crisis as the party failed in its attempt to conduct a credible election of new office bearers. The elections failed to take off hours after the outgoing officials, including party leader Raila Odinga, had their positions declared vacant to pave way for a new line-up. The NGC is tomorrow expected to fill the current vacuum with interim officials, but the reaction yesterday by a group of leaders allied to Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba could affect the party’s now fragile stability. Critically, the party’s outgo- ing Secretary-General Anyang’ Nyong’o, who had stepped down from his position, flew out to the US as the confusion raged. But Mr Odinga has remained emphatic that despite the turmoil that rocked his party on Friday, ODM will emerge from the crisis even stronger. “We want our party members to calm down because despite all this we are hopeful that we will get a way forward on Monday,” Mr Odinga said at a press conference he addressed shortly after the Kasarani fiasco. He described the event as most unfortunate and apologised to the party membership countrywide after a meeting with the opposing camps at the VIP lounge at the Safaricom Gymnasium. Signs of tough times ahead for Mr Odinga’s party emerged yesterday when the Namwamba group converged at a city hotel and declared they would demand to be installed as the legitimate he spotlight has now turned to tomorrow’s ODM National Governing party leaders tomorrow. The other camp that favours Senator Agnes Zani for the secretary-general’s post said through former Nairobi mayor George Aladwa that they will demand to have their rivals kicked out of the party for disloyalty. And yesterday Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, a hitherto close confidant of Mr Odinga, blamed the crisis in the party on nominated MP Oburu Oginga and a group he termed “new sycophants” whom he claimed were leading the ODM boss astray. Dr Oginga is Mr Odinga’s elder brother. “Raila just needs good advice. He is still strong and capable but this crisis is all because of Dr Oburu Oginga, Otieno Kajwang’, Fred Outa and Mr Eliud Owallo whose political credentials to advise Raila no one knows. They are squarely to blame for all this,” Mr Midiwo told the Sunday Nation. He added: “Their language is what is consistently scaring people away. You can’t talk like that if you want the party to hold together.” Bad advisers He said that the idea of holding elections at this point was ill-advised — something he claims was brought about by Dr Oburu. Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero had also called for the postponement of the elections. “I have been uncomfortable with the whole idea of elections and the chest thumping by Dr Oburu and the Kajwang’ group. I just want to speak the truth. There is no need to hide any more,” the Gem MP said. Mr Midiwo is among promi- nent leaders from Nyanza who boycotted the Friday meeting following bad blood between him and the party leadership. “I didn’t come because I thought from the onset that the elections were a bad idea and uncalled-for. I also didn’t like the whole idea of assembling youth to heckle people,” Mr Midiwo said. But Nyando MP Fred Outa de- fended Dr Oginga, Mr Kajwang’ and himself instead blaming Mr Midiwo for “backsliding” and undermining Mr Odinga’s popularity by working with members of what he termed Kalausi (Dholuo for whirlwind). The term is used to refer to a group of Nyanza MPs perceived to have rebelled against Mr Odinga. “It is wrong to say that I am mis-advising Mr Odinga. How can that be? I think Mr Midiwo is wrong. He is attempting to work with members of Kalausi and we are all worried about this,” he said. The MP said outstanding issues would be thrashed out in tomorrow’s meeting and that the party will be up and running again. Asked why he didn’t turn up for the party’s big event Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura said: “I am away on private business in London. I will be out for a week.” Others who gave the event a wide berth are Dr Kidero, Siaya Senator James Orengo, and MPs Millie Odhiambo (Mbita), Dalmas Otieno (Rongo), Agostinho Neto (Ndhiwa), David Ochieng (Ugenya) and Ken Okoth (Kibra). A spokesman said Dr Kidero was busy trying to fix the cities’ traffic mess though he wanted to go to Kasarani. Mr Ochieng is said to have trav- elled to Eldoret to buy fertiliser for his constituents. Mr Orengo missed the event because he thought “the event was for incoming officials and outgoing officials”. But yesterday Mr Outa criti- cised the group for boycotting the event. “This is the party that brought them to those offices and they should respond when called upon. Why did they stay away?” he wondered. Addressing a press conference at the Serena Hotel yesterday, Mr Joho expressed hope that the outstanding issues would be resolved tomorrow. “We want to make it clear that we fully support the party leader Raila Odinga. But what we wanted is to install a new team to ensure we can help him become President in 2017,” Mr Joho said. And Mr Namwamba blamed the Friday chaos on unnamed four ODM leaders and described the act as cowardly. “We are ready for a repeat poll any time. Yesterday (Friday) we met party leader Raila Odinga and decided that we should have a repeat poll this morning. But due to logistical concerns that was not possible,” Mr Namwamba said. But Eldas MP Adan Keynan said the team will demand to be installed as the duly elected office bearers, adding that it was obvious they were going to carry the day. Last evening Mr Namwamba and his team met former Narok North MP William ole Ntimama at a hotel in Nairobi to discuss the aftermath of the chaotic exercise. But Mr Aladwa insisted that it I am not the villain; the buck stops BY SAMUEL KARANJA @Wachege1 schege@ke.nationmedia.com Nominated MP Isaac Mwaura says he is not to blame for the mayhem that erupted during the aborted ODM party elections. The MP, who appeared angered by what he described as plans to rig him out of the interrupted Friday polls, also denied knowledge of a group of men in black suits who destroyed voting materials at the Safaricom Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi. In an interview with Sunday Nation, the legis- lator, who represents special interest groups in Parliament, instead blamed the elections board for allowing the circulation of a list of preferred candidates which didn’t include his name. “How can I be blamed for what happened in Kasarani? All I did was to point out an electoral malpractice,” he said. “I blame the organisers; how did they allow such a list to circulate? It (the list) was meant to influence the delegates and deny me victory,” SUNDAY NATION March 2, 2014 SIGNS OF THE TIMES? | Bare-knuckle in-fighting and sibling rivalry openly played out at the party’s National Delegates A NEW NANDI IS EMERGING Sample the flashes of development from the Source of Champions! �������������������������������������������� Top grade service delivery to ensure citizens enjoy the full benefit of the County’s devolved resources. Opening of St. Francis Cheptarit’s administration block. Support health living through operation of accessible, affordable and efficient primary and secondary care strategies.( L) H.E Dr. Cleophas Lagat lays the foundation stone of Kamasai Health Centre’s maternity wing in effort to take services closer to people. (R) H.E Deputy Governor, Dominic Biwott inspects medical equipment procured by Nandi County Government. Improve the welfare and physical health of young people, women and the physically challenged through empowerment for self-actualization